Julia Del Rio holds herself steady using her kitchen counter for support as she pours her coffee.
Her personal care assistant, Debraliz Castillo, is right behind her ready to help, but Del Rio likes to make her coffee herself as best she can.
“I live alone, and I like it a lot. I go when I want it. I come back when I want it,” Del Rio said. “These days, I can’t do as much as I used to because my legs won’t let me, but in general, I’m healthy.”
Del Rio was born in 1934 in Havana, Cuba. The 92-year-old now lives in an independent living apartment complex in New Britain, where she is aging independently.
Though a recent study at Yale showed that most Latinos live with extended family, often keeping elder caregiving in the home, research also shows that the next generation of Latinas may be seeing successful aging differently.
According to a study from the National Library of Medicine in 2023, key components of successful aging among middle-aged Latinas include being able to be independent in old age and ensuring the self-sufficiency of their children. Latinas also reported wanting to be in good health and maintain an active lifestyle.
Del Rio said she was able to achieve these goals in her old age after moving to the United States.
Cuba to Connecticut
In Cuba during her early 20s, Del Rio married Benito Del Rio, whom she called a wonderful man, or as she put it, "un hombre buenísimo."
“We got married,” Del Rio said, “and three days later, the revolutionaries of Fidel Castro burned [her and her husband’s workplace] and my husband was left without a job.”
Del Rio said she suggested they move to the United States where her sister was living. Her husband was all for it. They ended up in New Britain, where Del Rio worked at the local Fafnir Bearing Company for over 30 years.
“Because of that, I have very good Social Security and a pension,” Del Rio said. “I was able to buy my house, raise three daughters, see them married, and that’s it.”
Giving her three daughters an education was important to Del Rio, she said, because she wasn’t able to get a good education back in Cuba. Del Rio said she’s proud to say her daughters are now working professionals.
“They have their own lives now,” Del Rio said. “Their own way of living.”
Del Rio’s eldest and middle daughter have asked Del Rio to move in with them, but Del Rio said their houses have stairs that are too much for her legs and they have their own families to think about.
“I speak with my daughters every day,” Del Rio said. “The only time I bother my daughter is for computer issues, but for everything else, I manage my own affairs … I have no complaints, but I want to live alone.”
Planning to age in place
Younger generations of Latinos may prefer to age independently like Del Rio, but to do so requires preparing in advance, which can be difficult for those who don’t have the same work privileges or family dynamics.
Fernando Betancourt works with middle to low income community members as the executive director of the San Juan Center. The Hartford-based organization is one of the oldest non-profits in the state.
Betancourt said he noticed a trend over the years among Latinos. He says Latinos often face limited options for aging in place because they don’t financially plan early enough. For him, that comes down to systemic issues impacting Latino communities.
“We lack an educational foundation on everything that has to do with finances, assets, wealth building,” Betancourt said. “So by the time that you're approaching your retirement, it’s almost very late.”
Latino elders need to start thinking about living options early, Betancourt said, such as in their early 40s.
For the younger generation who may end up as caregivers, Betancourt said they should at the very least start talking about options when the aging family member is within a decade of reaching retirement.
“Start making a very simple assessment of the conditions and the reality of those that you perhaps are in a position that you will be helping with,” Betancourt said.
Staff at the San Juan Center are available to help people with making a plan based on that assessment, Betancourt said. They can help fill out applications, make referrals, and explain government paperwork.
The San Juan Center has over 70 units of senior independent living. Betancourt said there is often a waiting list, so it’s beneficial to inquire about these units in advance. He said it’s also helpful to plan ahead to find places that suit cultural preferences.
“If you have a community where they love to play dominoes. You might have another community, for example, a Thailand-ese community [sic], they might not like to play dominoes,” Betancourt said. “We establish connections … and that’s what actually sustains and improves [an older adult’s] life.”
Finding a community that embodies a person’s cultural roots can enhance those connections and improve the quality of life in old age, Betancourt said.
“You cannot be effective in anything that you do in life without being proud of where you come from and what you are,” Betancourt said, “because that's your essence.”
In New Britain, Del Rio’s essence is embedded in the life she left in Cuba and how she was able to choose a new future for her daughters.
Now, she embraces her old age and independent living, wanting to be remembered as one thing:
“The best mother in the world.”
Learn more
The San Juan Center offers information, referrals, and assistance, both in English and Spanish, for services across public and private sectors based on a person’s needs.
For more information about the San Juan Center’s elderly and low income housing program, the website has contact details for the Casa Edad de Oro and Nuestra Casa.
The Connecticut Department of Social Services has resources available in English and Spanish for older adults, people with disabilities, and their families and caregivers.
MyPlaceCT has a digital toolkit with materials in both languages, as well as applications such as the CT Home Care Program for Elders (CHCPE). Staff at the San Juan Center can help in filling out applications such as this one, if needed.
Caregiving in Connecticut
This story is part of our Caregiving in Connecticut series. Explore the stories and conversations.
